Imperial Palace, Imperial Study Hall.
Officials from both the War Ministry and the Civil Ministry have gathered here, awaiting His Majesty the Emperor's arrival.
Now that the provincial capital of the Southeast Imperial Province has been breached by the Sunrise Sect, although they haven't occupied the entire province yet, if the empire doesn't respond soon, it will only be a matter of time.
That's why officials from both ministries have urgently come to request an audience with the Emperor, hoping he will order the army to wipe out Sunrise Sect and save the Southeast Imperial Province.
"Elder Shea Gu, why hasn't His Majesty arrived yet?"
The officials from both ministries have been waiting for a full hour without seeing any sign of the Emperor. Unable to hold back, Grand General Raymond Lei finally asked Elder Shea Gu, since his granddaughter is the Empress.
Elder Shea Gu gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "General Lei, even if you ask me, I have no idea either."
Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed through the hall.
Everyone's spirits lifted, but they quickly realized it wasn't Ian Song who had arrived—it was a female official.
After bowing to the officials, the female official announced, "Please return to your offices, everyone. His Majesty is in closed-door cultivation and cannot meet with you."
"Closed-door cultivation?" Hearing that Ian Song was in seclusion, Raymond Lei couldn't help but get angry. He snapped, "At a time like this, he's still thinking about cultivation!"
"Please return to your offices, gentlemen. I take my leave!"
The female official bowed once more to the group and exited the study hall.
"Gentlemen, now that His Majesty is in seclusion, what should we do? Are we just going to let the Southeast Imperial Province fall?" Raymond Lei fumed. Because Ian Song, the Emperor, also serves as Supreme Marshal of the Realm, without his orders, Raymond Lei can't deploy the troops.
"We can only wait for His Majesty to come out of seclusion," Elder Bu said gravely.
One day!
Two days!
Three days!
In the blink of an eye, ten days passed. Every day, Raymond Lei and the Cabinet Elders came to request an audience, but Ian Song remained in seclusion. Raymond Lei, impatient as ever, nearly barged into Ian's chambers to drag him out.
The situation across the empire was getting worse by the day.
The Southeast Imperial Province had already been breached by Sunrise Sect and several other sects working together. Now, they're consolidating their forces to prepare an assault on the South Imperial Province.
After the empire was founded, the old Nine Domains were reorganized into thirty-six imperial provinces. The South Imperial Province was split off from the old South Domain, and now the Pristine Way Sect is based there. If the South Imperial Province falls, it will have a huge impact on the empire.
At the same time, sects in the North Imperial Province, West Imperial Province, and Northwest Imperial Province were also raising banners in rebellion, gathering armies to attack imperial cities.
But because the Emperor was in seclusion, the empire had troops but couldn't deploy them, so city after city in those three provinces fell to the rebels.
For a while, sects in other provinces were all itching to rebel as well.
Of course, as these sects rose up, the ones who suffered most were ordinary people—especially under the armies of Sunrise Sect, who burned, killed, and looted every city they captured, causing civilian deaths to skyrocket.
Soon, those who had lost loved ones and seen their families destroyed were wracked with regret. After all, they'd supported the Martial Gods' rhetoric, and now that the sects had rebelled, it wasn't just officials and soldiers who suffered—the pain had come for them too. If they hadn't joined the frenzy, maybe those sects wouldn't have risen up. Now, their own lives were in ruins.
Imperial Study Hall!
"Enough! No matter what, I'm dragging him out today. The empire is in chaos, and he's still in seclusion?" Raymond Lei roared, storming off toward Ian Song's chambers.
In the past, the Cabinet Elders would have stopped him, but today, not a single one tried to hold him back.
They all realized that if Ian Song didn't come out soon to take charge, the empire really might fall apart.
But just as Raymond Lei stormed out of the study hall, a clear female voice rang out: "His Majesty has arrived!"
Raymond Lei looked up and saw Ian Song, dressed in plain clothes, walking slowly toward them flanked by two female officials.
"Greetings, Your Majesty!"
No matter how angry Raymond Lei was, he had no choice but to bow respectfully.
"No need for formalities, gentlemen. You may rise."
Ian Song walked past the assembled officials and took his seat on the Dragon Throne.
"Your Majesty, this minister has a memorial to present!"
"Your Majesty, I too have a memorial to present!"
............